Star Wars: A New Hope Gets Anime Fan Makeover, First Trailer Released

Star Wars: A New Hope was first released in US theaters on May 25, 1977, and earned $461 million, while receiving ten Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture), winning seven. It launched an industry of tie-in products, including spin-off TV series, novels, comic books, video games, amusement park attractions, and merchandise including toys, games, and clothing. The latest is this anime fan makeover by Dmitry “Ahriman” Grozov of Saint Petersburg, Russia. Continue reading for another Star Wars anime short film and more information.

After ILM used computer-generated effects for Steven Spielberg’s 1993 film Jurassic Park, Lucas claimed that digital technology had caught up to his “original vision” for Star Wars. For the film’s 20th anniversary in 1997, Star Wars was digitally remastered and re-released to movie theaters, along with The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, under the campaign title Star Wars Trilogy: Special Edition. This version of the film runs 124 minutes. The Special Edition contains visual shots and scenes that were unachievable in the original release due to financial, technological, and time constraints; one such scene involves a meeting between Han Solo and Jabba the Hutt.